Bacteriological Assessment of Sliced Fruits (Pawpaw, Pineapple and Watermelon) Sold in Rumuokwuta Market Bacteriological Assessment of Sliced Fruits (Pawpaw, Pineapple and Watermelon) Sold in Rumuokwuta Market – Direct Research Journal of Agriculture and Food Science
Original Research Article

Bacteriological Assessment of Sliced Fruits (Pawpaw, Pineapple and Watermelon) Sold in Rumuokwuta Market

Uzor, C. A.*
Dick, A. A.
Article Number: DRJAFS11832443
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26765/DRJAFS11832443
ISSN: 2354-4147

Vol. 10(5), Pp. 126-130, May 2022

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Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0.


Abstract

The study was aimed at the bacteriological assessment of sliced fruits (pawpaw, pineapple and watermelon) sold at Rumuokwuta market using standard microbiological techniques. A total of eighteen (18) ready-to-eat fruits were screened for microbial counts. Ten gram (10g) each of the samples was cut with a sterile knife and was homogenized in 90 ml of distilled water in a beaker. Standard recommended procedures were used in the preparation of agars, serial dilution, inoculation and other biochemical analysis. The mean heterotrophic bacterial counts for pineapple, pawpaw and watermelon samples are 2.17 x108 cfu/g, 1.74 x108 cfu/g and 2.35 x108 cfu/g, respectively; the mean coliform counts pineapple, pawpaw and watermelon samples are 2.67 x108 cfu/g, 1.78 x108 cfu/g and 1.59 x108 cfu/g, respectively; the mean total SalmonellaShigella counts for pineapple, pawpaw and watermelon are 3.58 x107 cfu/g, 3.00 x107 cfu/g and 5.33 x106 cfu/g, respectively. Most of the fruit samples from the vendors exceed the 0 -103 acceptable and 104 – 105 tolerable limit. The identified bacteria are Escherichia coli, Bacillus spp., Klebsiella spp., Enterobacter spp., Pseudomonas spp., Salmonella spp. and Citrobacter spp. This indicates that the fruits are contaminated and could cause health hazard if consumed. Based on the current findings, it is recommended that fresh and raw fruits should be properly washed before processing and consumption and Community Health Officers should educate vendors on the dangers of these organisms.

Keywords: Biochemical analysis, fruits, market
 Received: April 1, 2022  Accepted: April 30, 2022  Published: May 9, 2022



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